Improvement in wagon-brakes



NIEED STATES.,

PATENT QEEICE.

4-GrEOItGE ADAIR AND FRED. BABGOGK, OF ROOK FALLS, ILLINOIS. i

IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON-BRAKES'. l

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 81,388, dated August 22, 1876; application filed l f February 7, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE ADAIR and FRED. BABCOGK, of Rock Falls, in the county of Whitesides and State of Illinis, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wagon-Brakes, of which the vfollowing is af specification The invention 'We have made in wagonbrakes relates more particularly to the means of operating the brake-beam, which carries the rubbers, and to the adaptation of such means to extensible wagons.

We shall hereafter specically point out in the claims the several devices and combinations of devices particularly our own.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use our invention We refer to the following general description, and to the accompanyingdrawings, in Which- Figure 1 represents a top View of the running-gear of an extensible wagon embracing our invention, in which the wagon is fully extended; Fig. 2, a similar view, in which the wagon is shortened; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of such a Wagon when shortened; Fig. 4, a vertical section ltaken through the keeper of wagon-hounds, and Figs. 5 and 6 views of the operating-lever of the brake mechanism.

Our brake is especially applicable to extensible Wagon-such, forinstance, as the Jackson Wagon-'but is equally applicable to all wagons, extensible or otherwise.

The wagon-reach A is made to pass through the socket formed by the Wagon-hounds B B and their keeper-plates a a; thence through a socket-rest in the middle of the rear axle C, said reach A being fastened by a bolt, b, at the hounds-connection. It is by this means only that the wagon is lengthened or shortened.

The brake-beam D carries the rubbers c, and is operated through a coupling-reach, E, having a loose connection, d, with a crankrod, c, journaled in a lug, f, projecting from the front bolster F, and in the segmental rack G ofthe operating-lever H, said rack fastened to said bolster and its holster-stake g, usual infsuch wagons as we use here to illustrate our invention. This lever H and its operation and relation to the brake-beam D Will be hereinafter more specifically set forth.

When the Wagon is extended the couplingreach E is connected to the brake-beam D by a bolt, h, passing through a lapping-iron, z', bolted to such coupling-reach, and the brakebeam with which it is shouldered. This brakebeam when thus secured to its coupling-reach is capableof being pushed back and withdrawn, respectively, to force its rubbers c against the Wheelsto retard their revolution or to relieve them. To avoid lateral strain upon the coupling-reach, and to cause the brakebeam to maintain its normal position-that is, presentingits rubbers tothe tires-We provide said brakebeam with stop-pins 76,'w'hich, in combination with metallic guide-straps l, rising from and secured to the hounds B, keep said beam from thrusting laterally.

When the wagon is shortened the bolt h is removed, as is also the hounds-keeper bolt b. The coupling-reach E is slightly lifted, and passed over the brake-beam D, under a strapiron, m, which prevents said coupler from iiying up, and the front Wheels, carrying the -wagon-reach A and coupler E, are brought toward the hind Wheels. In this Way the reach A passes through the hounds-socket and the rear axle-bed socket, and extends from the rear of the wagon, as is commonly the case. The hounds are again secured to the wagonreach by the bolt b, and the coupler E is connected to the brake-beam D, but by a means somewhat different from its connection when the wagon is extended. The coupler E being prevented from rising up and down by the strap m upon the brakebeam, it is secured to said 'beam by a metallic brace, o, loosely jointed or hinged at p p upon the brake-beam, and to the coupling-reach bythe same bolt h, heretofore mentioned, which passes through an eye, c', Fig. 1, in said brace, to the coupling-reach. This is solely for the purpose of connection, and hasno reference to the power exerted to force the brake-beam back. This is effected by an iron plate or slug, s, Fig. 3, let into and securely fastened to the couplingreach-that is to say1 it has this function in the short adjustment. In the long adjustment, or adjustment with Wagon extended, .I this function is effected by the end of the coupling-reach, which presses directly against the brake-beam, its connection or fastening being by a lapping-iron, as heretofore described.

The brake-lever H is connected with the coupling-reach E by a crank-rod journaled at fjl The segmental rack G is fastened to the front bolster and bolster-stake. Operating tbecrankrod is the brake-lever H, which carries upon the same short shaft t, and concentrically, a ratchet, u, and pinion fv, the pinion engaging with the rack, and the spring-pawl w controlling the ratchet, and which is capable of being released by a small lever, y. Upon the inner side of this brake-lever H is a guide-piece, an, which travels upon the inner side of the rack as the lever moves, and also serves to journal the short shaft of the ratchet and pinion.

When, by a Well-known operation of the lever,

an' extensible coupling-reach, E, provided with a lapping-iron, t', for its long adjustment, and

a slug or plate, s, for its short adjustment, to 3 said brake-beam, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the extensible coupling-reach E and the'brake-beam D, of the brace o, hinged to the brake-beam, and connected to the coupling-reach when the t Wagon `is shortened, as described.

We have affixed our signatures in the presence t of two Witnesses.

GEORGE j ADAIR. FRED. BABcocK. 1

Witnesses M. A. BUNN, W. A. BEECHER. 

